Mixing device



Patented June it, 192d.

. STATES ERNEST SIEGEL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MIXING DEWCE.

Application filed April 12, 1923, Serial No. 631,689. Renewed. April 9,1924.

To all 10710272 may concern.

.Be it known that I, ERNEST Smenn, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in MixingDevices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to mixing devices such as are commonly used inmixing various drinks at soda fountains, in which an agitator is loweredinto a cup containing the substance to be mixed. In such devices as nowcommonly constructed the agitating parts are exposed so that flies andother insects may walk on and contaminate the same and germ laden dustfloating through the air may lodge upon the same with the result thatwhen the next mixture is agitated the germs, dust and othercontamination which have previously been deposited upon the agitatorwill be thoroughly distributed into the substance being mixed. An objectof the invention is to provide an improved mixing device which'is at alltimes abso lutely sanitary; in which the parts of the device which maycome in contact with the substance being mixed will be entirely onclosed and protected against outside containination or dust; which willnot interfere with or modify the usual manipulation of the device; whichmay be readily applied to existing mixing devices without materialmodifications; and which is simple, light, durable, inconspicuous andrelatively inexpensive.

Other objects and advantages will be ap parent from the followingdescription of an embodiment of the invention and the novel featureswill be particularly pointed out hereinafter in claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevation partly in section of a mixing device constructedin accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is asection of the same taken sub stantially along the line 22 ofFig. 1 and Fig. 3 is a section through the same, taken substantiallyalong the line 33 of Fig. 1.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention a small electric motor 1is supported by pivots 2 from a forked bracket 3 which extends laterallyfrom a rod 4. The rod 4 is telescopically received within an upright 5which is carried by the base 6. The rod 4:

is adjustable vertically in the upright 5 to different extents and isprovided with suitable means (not shown) by which the rod 4 may be heldin different positions to which it may be adjusted vertically. Thismeans for holding the rod 4 in different positions is well known and perse forms no part of the present invention. The motor 1 is provided witha depending spindle 7 which is rotated by the motor and preferably formsa depending extension to the armature shaft. This spindle 7 carries atits lower end a suitable agitator 8, which when immersed in a substanceto be mixed, will thoroughly agitate and mix the same while beingrotated by the motor.

A tubular element 9 which is preferably in the nature of a tubularrubber sleeve, is secured to a beaded flange 10 at the lower end ofthemotor casing and depends therefrom and surrounds the spindle andagitator. The rubber sleeve 9 extends to a length approximately equaltov the lower end of the agitator and is connected to a beaded flange 11of acover 12 so that the cover will be suspended from the rubber sleeveand forms a part of the tubular protector. To prevent any likelihood ofseparation of the rubber sleeve 9 from the motor casing or the cover 12,one or more bands 13 may surround the sleeve and the flanges over whichthey extend in order to clamp the rubber sleeve firmly to these flanges.v A helical spring 1-1. having a diameter approximately equal to theinner diameter of the rubber sleeve 9 is disposed within the sleevebetween the cover and the motor casing and may, if desired, be connectedat one end to the motor casing, and at the other end to the cover 12 soas to relieve the rubber sleeve of the support of the cover 12.

A pair of pins 15 extend inwardly from the depending flange 16 of thecover 12 and pass through vertical slots 17 in the up turned flange 18of a plate 19 which extends across the lower or open end of the cover.The plate 19 is therefore free to move vertically within the cover tosome extent but by reason of the engagement of the pins with thevertically extending slot. will be held against rotation relatively tothe cover. The engagement of the pins in the slot 17 also serves tolimit the downward movement of the plate 19. The plate 19 is providedwith an aperture 20 through which the agitator 8 may be shifted when themotor and agitator are shifted downwardly in order to carry the agitator8 into a cup 21 containing the substance to be mixed.

" Upon the upper face of the plate 19 are pair of closure plates 22,each pivoted at diametrically opposite points as at the plates beingstaggered laterally somewhat, relatively to one another. The platesnormally close the opening 20 of the plate 19 and when rotated away fromone another about their pivots 23, will uncover the opening andpermitpassage therethrough of the agitator 8. Because of the staggeredarrangement of the plates, each will clear the other when moving touncover the opening 20. The pivots 23 are located near the ends of theplates. The ends of the plates adjacent the pivots have upstanding ears2-1 which are provided with oblique slots 25 throu h which the pins 15extend. When the p ate 19 is shifted upwardly within the cover 12 thepins 15 will, by their engagement in the oblique slots, cause a limitedangular movement of the plates about their pivots 23 in directions touncover the opening 20. hen the plate 19 moves downwardly a reversemovement of the plates will be caused by their engagement with the pins15. In the use of the mixing device the motor is normally in its upperposition and the tubular protector will entirely enclose the dependingspindle and agitator and the opening 20 will be closed by the plates 22.A cup 21 containing the substance to be mixed, is placed upon the base6, and the rod 4 is adjusted downwardly within the upright 5, so as tocarry the agitator 8 into the interior of the cup. As the motor movesdownwardly to carry the agitator into the cup, the plate 19 will engagethe upper edge of the cup and during further downward movement of themotor, the plate 19 will be held against further downward movement andthe cover 12 will continue to move downwardly. The result is that thepins 15 will, in moving downwardly with the cover, act upon the uprightears of the plates and through the oblique slots, will rotate the platesin directions to uncover the opening 20. During further downwardmovement of the motor, the agitator 8 will move into the interior of thecup, and the cover 12 and part-s carried thereby will rest above theupper edge of the cup and close thesame against the entrance of dust orother foreign matter. The tubular sleeve 9 and the spring will yield soas to allow the motor to con tinue its downward movement far enough tocarry the agitator 8 into the cup to the desired extent. The motor maythen be oper ated until the desired degree of mixture has been obtained,after which it may be elevatedin a well known manner, to elevate theagitator, the cover and the parts carried thereby out of contact withthe cup. During the upward movement of the motor a reverse operation ofthe cover and plates will taltc place. That is, as soon as the agitatorhas passed through the opening 20 the cover 12 will be lifted and thepins 15 moving therewith will act through the slot-s 25 upon the closureplates to cam the plates in directions to close the opening 20. Duringthe upward movement of the cover 12 with the motor, the pins 15 willengage with the upper ends of the slots 17 in the upturned dle andagitator 8 are entirely enclosed so that it will be impossible forinsects or dust to come in contact with or contaminate the spindle andagitator. With such a device the usual mode of operation of the mixer isnot interfered with or modified and no additional manual movements arenecessary, the protector being automatically opened when the motor ismoved into effective position and closed during the return movement.With this construction, such a protector can be applied to existingmixing devices without material changes therein and will not beunsightly or conspicuous when applied thereto.

lVhlle the invention has been described in connection with a mixingdevice in which the motor moves relatively to the cup in which themixture is contained, it will be understood that the invention operatesin a similar manner and is clearly applicable to the types of mixers inwhich the cup moves relatively to the motor, and in those types in whichthe spindle only is lowered into the cup. In the latter case a suitableconnection may be provided between the lowering means and the protectorso as to effect the necessary vertical movement of the protector withthe spindle and agitator. It will also be understood that various otherarrangements for protecting the spindle and agitator may be utilized,such as a plurality of interconnected telescopic sections. here thespring is used with the rubber sleeve, it will prevent collapsing of thesleeve sufficiently to become entangled with the rotating spindle. Itwill also be obvious that various other changes in the details andarrangements of parts herein described and illustra ted for the purposeof explaining the nature of the invention may be made by those skilledin the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressedin the appended claims:

1. In mixing devices, a support. a motor carried by the support andhaving a depending spindle provided with an agitator

